HAMDEN, Conn., Nov. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Quinnipiac University School of Business inducted Tim Gannon, co-founder of Outback Steakhouse, Inc., and Donald Torey, president of alternative assets and director of GE Asset Management Inc., into its Business Leader Hall of Fame during a black-tie dinner ceremony Nov. 16 at the Metropolitan Club in New York City.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121120/DC16932)

"The Quinnipiac University School of Business is proud to honor Tim Gannon and Donald Torey as the 2012 inductees into our Business Leader Hall of Fame," said Matthew L. O'Connor, dean of the School of Business and the master of ceremonies at the 10^th annual induction dinner. "The Hall of Fame honors men and women who exemplify the leadership qualities, business acumen and values that we seek to instill in our students."

Before Gannon and Torey addressed the audience of more than 200, O'Connor introduced a video that profiled their professional and personal accomplishments. It was evident from each video that in addition to being outstanding businessmen, Gannon and Torey are strong believers in community service.

Torey, of Darien, is on the board of the Stamford Boys and Girls Club and buildOn, a youth engagement organization that emphasizes local community service and builds schools in impoverished areas, including South America and Africa.

"On behalf of GE Company, including Quinnipiac graduate Dave Rusate who helped to represent our company at the event, we congratulate Tim Gannon along with Quinnipiac University's Outstanding Alumni and Emerging Leader Awardees," Torey said. "It's an honor to be recognized as part of this distinguished group of individuals and to take part in a celebration of their accomplishments."

In 2011, Gannon, of Palm Beach, Fla., launched Kettle Comfort, Cooking for America, a West Palm Beach, Fla. philanthropic initiative which delivers chef-inspired food to thousands of hungry and nutrition-deprived people daily.

"I am thrilled to be inducted into the Business Leader Hall of Fame," Gannon said. "I know and have great respect for the people who are giving me this very prestigious honor, and I am very respectful of those colleagues who have received it in the past."

Several others top businessmen who have been inducted into Quinnipiac's Business Leader Hall of Fame attended the event, including David Darst, managing director and chief investment strategist, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney Global Wealth Management Group; Gabriel Ferrucci, owner and manager of Ferrucci Properties, LLC; Kenneth Neilson, former chairman, president and chief executive officer of Hudson United Bank; and William Weldon, chairman of Johnson & Johnson.

In addition, the School of Business presented Outstanding Business Alumni Awards to Karen Bradbury, president of EBEL Americas and worldwide merchandising director of Movado Group, Inc., and Laura Sequenzia, publisher of "Golf World" magazine.

The School of Business also presented its Emerging Leader Award to Kyle Cook, of Wakefield, R.I., an entrepreneurship major, Jennifer Lydiksen, of Milford, a student in the MBA program, and Alexandra Seitz, of Annanadale, N.J., an economics major. This award is presented to students who demonstrate excellence both in and out of the classroom, including leadership roles on campus and/or significant community service.

View photos from the event.

Quinnipiac is a private, coeducational, nonsectarian institution located 90 minutes north of New York City and two hours from Boston. The university enrolls 6,200 full-time undergraduate and 2,300 graduate students in 58 undergraduate and more than 20 graduate programs of study in its School of Business and Engineering, School of Communications, School of Education, School of Health Sciences, School of Law, Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine, School of Nursing and College of Arts and Sciences. Quinnipiac consistently ranks among the top regional universities in the North in U.S. News & World Report's America's Best Colleges issue. The 2013 issue of U.S. News & World Report's America's Best Colleges named Quinnipiac as the top up-and-coming school with master's programs in the Northern Region. Quinnipiac also is recognized in Princeton Review's "The Best 377 Colleges." For more information, please visit www.quinnipiac.edu. Connect with Quinnipiac on Facebook at www.facebook.com/quinnipiacuniversity and follow Quinnipiac on Twitter @QuinnipiacU.

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SOURCE Quinnipiac University